Touched
by MaryMaryQuiteContrary
Summary: Trory. Tristan and Rory reunite in their junior year at Yale. Rory isn't dating at all, and she's ecspecially determined not to date Tristan. But, Tristan has other things in mind.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Touched

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my racy thoughts.

Rating: R

Rory was scribbling notes furiously as class was coming to an end. She wouldn't admit it but European History was proving to be more difficult than she had expected. The only person Rory was comfortable asking for help was Paris, but shockingly Paris had been struggling as well. When the professor ended lecturing Rory shuffled her way up to his podium.

" Professor Williams, my name's Rory and I was just wondering if there was any way I could come by and get a little extra help, I'm having a hard time grasping-"

"Look, I just lectured for 2 ½ hours I don't have the time to tutor each individual student." He brushed her off with a flick of his wrist.

Slightly taken aback, Rory tried again, "I didn't necessarily mean right now, maybe tomorrow or the next day just for a half hour or so…"

The professor looked up from his papers with a strained smile planted on his lips,

"Rory, right? If I spent a half hour with each of my 300 something students I wouldn't have time to sleep, or eat, or hell, even go to the bathroom. Yale is a competitive school, if you can't keep up by yourself I suggest you join a study group or get a tutor. Or maybe this just isn't the school for you, but it isn't my job to baby you. Now, please I am a busy man."

Rory, now thoroughly disgusted, stalked off. 'Who did he think he was saying she needed a tutor? She wasn't asking him to baby her. She didn't need a tutor. She'd never had a tutor in her life.'

Rory pushed through her door, still in a rotten mood. She had gone to get coffee thinking that would make her feel better, but she couldn't get that professors words out of her head.

" Paris, you won't believe what Professor Williams said to me today."

Paris came out toweling off her hair. "What did he say?"

"I went to ask him for help and he practically bit my head off, talking about babying me and how Yale is a competitive school, like I didn't already know that, and then he said I should get a tutor or join some study group!"

Paris shook her head. "Yeah he can be an ass."

"I know! I couldn't believe it! I've never needed a tutor before. Even when I came to Chilton late I caught up just fine. I've been in Yale three years now and no professor has ever thought I need a tutor. One asked me to tutor someone else once! But no I never needed a tutor! Jeez!

"Rory sit down. You're making me dizzy pacing around."

Rory sat down, just to stand right back up again. "And a study group? Who goes to those? Those are just for people who have no faith in themselves. So they join a study group to latch on to other people, because they don't feel as stupid in numbers!"

Paris whipped around. "Excuse me, what's your problem with study groups, Rory?"

Rory stopped pacing to look at Paris. "What?"

"What you are to good for study groups now? Do you just think you are better than everyone?"

"What? Paris where is this coming from? There isn't anything wrong with study groups for some people. But, they just aren't for me."

" Okay, I see how it is! So now you are better than me?" Paris spat.

"Paris! What are you talking about? When did I say that?"

"Well, almighty Rory, _I am_ one of those stupid people who belongs to a study group!" Paris turned on her heel and slammed the door.

Rory sighed, putting her head into her hands. 'What have I done now?'

Once she composed herself, Rory knocked on the door Paris had just recently slammed in her face. When she heard no answer she let herself in to find Paris sitting on her bed, pretending to read. Cautiously sitting on the foot of Paris's bed, Rory began to speak.

" Look Paris I'm really sorry."

No reply.

Rory pulled down the book Paris was so intent on reading, uncovering her face.

"I'm really really sorry." Rory said with a timid smile.

Still no reply.

"I'm really really reeeeeally sorry."

Paris went back to "reading", with no reply.

Rory sighed. "Paris you know I don't think you're stupid."

"Hmph."

'Well that's progress' Rory sighed.

"Okay, honestly I got scared. I didn't tell you that the professor said that Yale might not be the school for me. Hearing that was just terrifying after all of the hard work I've put in here. You know how I get, I think if I make one false move, if I fail one test, I'll never become a journalist. You know I swore off guys until I graduate, because I'm so afraid of becoming distracted and loosing sight of my dream, my dream of becoming a journalist." Rory could see Paris starting to soften, " So I'm sorry that I came home and I dumped all of that on you, I know that's not fair, and that you have yourself to worry about to, and I swear I had no idea you were in a study group" ---

"Exactly! Why would I want to tell _you _I'm in a study group-knowing what you think of them." Paris snapped.

Rory sighed again. 'Had she really just thought that Paris was getting soft? No such luck.'

"Okay, look, I apologized, and I meant it. You know I think your beyond intelligent, and I'm very sorry I hurt your feelings when I said those things about study groups"-

"You didn't hurt my feelings" Paris huffed.

"Okay I'm sorry for whatever it is that I did, please let me make it up to you."

Paris was silent for a moment. "How?"

"I don't know, you tell me and I'll do it"

Paris put down her book and rubbed her hands together. Then she smiled; a kind of plotting smile that made Rory gulp.

" Oh I know," Paris said in sickeningly sweet voice, "You can come with me to my study group."

It was the next day, and Rory was sitting under her study tree. Usually, when she rested against the tree's trunk, with a slight breeze against her skin, it created the perfect studying environment, but today she couldn't concentrate. So, who better to call than Lorelie?

"Hey mom."

"Hey offspring, how ya doing?"

"Ugh, kinda frustrated actually."

"Oop, hold on one sec, I think Luke may be trying to tell me something, he is making large, angry gestures. Oh, he's waving frantically at the 'no cell phone' sign. I'm guessing this is gonna take more than a second, so I better go outside and put an end to the charades. Wouldn't want Luke to pull a muscle or tear his flannel or anything."

Rory couldn't help but crack a smile at her mother's antics.

"Alright, I escaped alive. Now you have my undivided attention. What's up babe?"

"I can't study."

"Go to your tree."

"Already there."

"Get some coffee?"

"Had three cups already."

"Good girl. Eat some pop tarts?"

"I'm can't. I'm on a strict college diet of Easy Mac, Roman Noodles, Lucky Charms, and coffee."

"College diet? That's the Gilmore diet. But, seriously now, what are you studying for?"

"European History."

"Do you have a test?"

"No, not until midterms in five weeks."

"Do you have a paper due?"

"No, just turned one in two days ago."

"Remind me again why you need to study."

"For a study group."

"For a study group?"

"Yes."

"Let me get this right. You're studying _for_ study group? Isn't that what study group is for? To study?" Lorelei asked completely baffled.

"Yeah, I know, I know, but I don't want the people in the stupid group to think I'm dumb."

"Mhmmm, wait, I thought the whole studying with people thing, well I thought it wasn't your thing."

"Oh, believe it's not. Paris guilted me into it."

"Oh, well good. Maybe you'll meet a guy."

"Mom, you know I'm not dating."

"Mhmmm, why is that again?"

"You know why. I don't want to get distracted."

"Rory, come on. As hard as this may be for you to believe, college isn't only about the education part. You need to socialize too."

"I do socialize. I see Paris."

"She's your roommate, that doesn't count."

"I hang out with Marty sometimes."

"Yeah, but what's fun about that? You guys are _just friends._" Lorelie whined mockingly.

"Well, I'm sorry I'm not fun enough for you."

"I just think you need to lighten up a little bit. A casual date wouldn't hurt. Gasp you might even enjoy yourself, instead of worrying about studying _for_ study group."

"This isn't funny. I really don't want to go to this thing."

"Then don't go."

"I have to, or Paris will hate me."

"Well you wouldn't want to loose half of your social circle."

"Ha-ha"

"Okay, I'm sorry. You know what I think you should do? I think you should tear yourself away from your study tree, not worry what the stupid study group people think of you, go for Paris, and get it over with. Then, treat yourself to a nice, relaxing bath."

"Ooohkay" Rory sighed.

"Oh! Oh! You can burn those monkey candles I got you!"

"Monkey candles? Hopefully not scented…"

"Ha-ha there's my girl. I'll see you Friday, okay?"

"Yup, love you mom."

"Love you too."

"You're not going to wear that are you?"

"What? What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Rory smoothed down her long sleeve tee.

"I just don't think you should wear that."

"You didn't tell me your study group had a dress code, Paris."

"It doesn't. Here we go. Why don't your wear this skirt?" Paris plucked a black mini off of a hanger.

"A skirt? Why would I wear a skirt to study?"

"And I'll let you borrow my blue cashmere sweater. It will look great with your eyes."

" My eyes? What are you up to Paris?" Rory said, starting to get annoyed.

"I'm not up to anything. What are you talking about?"

" Why do you suddenly care how my eyes look?"

"There are a few cute guys in the group." Paris shrugged, trying to be nonchalant.

"Ugh! You are just like my mother! I don't need to be set up. I don't want to be set up. How many times do I have to say that?!" Rory cried through gritted teeth.

"Alright, calm down Gilmore. Forget it, there was this _one_ guy in particular I thought you'd hit it off with, but never mind." Paris smiled with a glint in her eye; a glint that Rory missed.

Rory shivered. The sun was setting quickly, and the air had a chill to it. For a second Rory was glad Paris had convinced her to wear her sweater instead of the long sleeve tee shirt. She and Paris were walking to the library to meet with Paris's study group. Rory absentmindedly watched a leaf twirl to the ground and wondered how she got here. Not to the library, but here at Yale, in the fall of her junior year, walking in comfortable silence with Paris, a girl she had once disliked. Now, Paris was one of her best friends, and she really did appreciate their relationship. Rory sniffled. She really did feel bad for hurting Paris's feelings. Not that Paris would ever admit she had. Right then, she decided she really would try her best to be pleasant tonight at the study group. Rory was shaken from her thoughts when Paris opened the library door.

"Come on Gilmore, nothing to be scared of."

Rory followed Paris to a table where two guys and girl were already sitting. Once Rory had sat down and been introduced to the group she was feeling pretty good about the whole situation.

"So are we going to get started?" Rory asked.

One of the guys responded, "Yeah we're just waiting for Tristan."

"For who?" confused, Rory looked up. She looked up right into the bright blue eyes of Tristan Dugrey.

"Oh Mary, don't tell me you forgot who I am."

Rory was stunned. She never thought she would see Tristan ever again. And, she wouldn't admit it, but she had thought about him over the years. Once Rory realized that she had in fact seen Tristan Dugrey, and that she wasn't hallucinating, he had sat down across from her and opened his books. Rory was confused, and actually a bit disappointed. 'That was it? That's all they were going to say to each other?' She knew they hadn't been the best of friends, but she had thought their unique relationship meant more than that.

Paris stood up, avoiding eye contact with Rory, "Okay, I think we can get started now."

'Paris! She had known about this the whole time! Why hadn't Paris told her she knew Tristan? Why hadn't she warned her that he would be here? He was the reason Paris had wanted her to dress up! She couldn't believe it! She had been manipulated!'

"Um, Paris, can I talk to you a minute?" Rory fumed.

"Rory, this is a study group, we'll talk later." Paris stated, not letting on that there was anything unusual going on.

"No, I think we need to talk _now_."

"Rory, we're studying, it can wait."

Just as Rory was opening her mouth to protest Tristan cut in, "Rory, I'm surprised, you always took your studying so seriously at Chilton."

"I'm surprised you noticed that Tristan, what with your tongue being shoved down a new girls throat every week." Rory quipped.

Everyone around them were staring now, so Paris interrupted, " Okay, you love birds, don't make a scene."

Rory folded her arms across her chest, and scoffed loudly in disgust, which just made Paris chuckle, and Tristan smirk.

Tristan looked across the table at Rory. She was pouting, with the occasional sniffle. It had been a half hour since their little exchange, and all Tristan could think about was Rory. Sitting across from her, he couldn't believe she still had this effect on him. When he walked in and saw her sitting there in a blue turtleneck, with rosy cheeks from the cold, his breath had caught in his chest. Paris had let him know Rory would be there tonight, but nothing could have prepared him for how amazing she had looked. He had been delighted when he saw Rory's look of disappointment when he had been so casual about their reunion. It might have seemed like he was brushing her off, but really he'd been trying to fight off the immediate reversion back to his high schools day, when he was Rory Gilmore's love sick puppy. He had lost that battle when he saw Rory getting so fired up at Paris, remembering how much he loved to get a rise out of her. Paris had quickly ended their bantering, and now Rory was still sitting, sulking. As adorable as Rory looked with her pouty lower lip, Tristan thought she looked even cuter blushing.

With a devious smile, Tristan set to work. In one very quick, fluid motion Tristan grazed Rory's leg with his own. Rory glanced up, interpreted it as a mistake, and went back to minding her business. Tristan waited a minute and did it again, this time a little slower. Rory looked around again, this time with a furrowed brow. When Rory looked down again, Tristan slipped his foot from his shoe, pushed it up inside of her jeans and ran his toes all the way up to inside of her knee. Rory's head snapped to attention and she pulled her leg back in a flash. This time she looked up and stared directly at Tristan, challenging him. Tristan stared back, acting confused. He shrugged his shoulders and mouthed 'what?' He saw Rory was getting angry, but something flickered in her eyes and he decided to raise the stakes. If she wanted a challenge he would give her a challenge. He used one foot to capture her leg and hold it in place, as he used the other foot to rub a trail from her ankle, to her calf, behind her knee, and in between her thighs. Rory was blushing furiously now, and squirming all over. Tristan pressed even further, pushing open her thighs, as Rory tried in vain to keep them closed. He smirked and started to trace lazy circles on the inside of her thigh, but when he felt the heat radiating from her core he began to feel a little dizzy. Even though Rory was glaring at him, looking like she wanted to kill him, she unconsciously bit her lip. Tristan saw this, and almost groaned as he felt a tightening in his pants. Suddenly, having enough with tracing circles on her thigh, Tristan used his heel to grind against her center. Rory gasped, and jumped up violently, her knees banging loudly against the table.

"My god Rory! What is wrong with you?" Paris hissed, completely oblivious to the little game Tristan had been playing.

Tristan had never seen anybody so red. "I'm s-s-sorry, P-paris I don't feel s-so well all of a sudden", a completely mortified Rory managed to stammer, "I'm just gonna go back to the dorm."

Everyone was dumbfounded as Rory practically ran from the library, and Tristan couldn't help but chuckle.

I want to apologize now for my bad grammar. I hope it doesn't interfere with the story. I would love to hear what everyone thinks of the chapter, thanks )


	2. chp 2

Title: Touched

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. I got pneumonia actually. Unfortunately, there was no hot guy to nurse me back to health. Speaking of things that are unfortunate, I missed the last new episode of Gilmore Girls. In Detroit, they decided to schedule a Piston's game over the show. I was furious! All I know is that Luke and Lorelei get into a fight, and that Rory pulls some kind of prank of Logan. I would really appreciate it if someone could fill me in on what happened. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Hope you enjoy this chapter : )

Rory rolled over in bed and let out a groan. She had been sick for the last three days. She should have seen it coming with all of the sniffling she'd been doing, but with the study group, and the Tristan fiasco, her mind had been elsewhere. Ugh! She couldn't think about him right now. He was so infuriating! Who did he think he was taking all those liberties and embarrassing her so? Sure, at Chilton he had teased her, but not like that! He had never been so aggressive in flirting with her. Did she just say flirting? No he couldn't have been flirting with her, as always he was just trying to get under her skin. And it had worked. This is exactly the reason she had sworn off guys. They just got under her skin and then she wasted good quality time, studying time, analyzing over nothing.

With that last thought Rory gave a confirming nod. She wasn't going to think about Tristan anymore, she needed to get better, especially since she was going to have a ton of make-up work from the past 3 days and she didn't need any distractions. Rory groaned and rolled over again.

Tristan walked out of his European History lecture. Sure, it wasn't over for another 45 minutes but he wasn't going to learn anything he didn't already know. Plus, besides being an ass, the professor was utterly dull and just droned on and on. Tristan was walking around campus, wondering what to do with the rest of his afternoon, when a brilliant idea came to him. He would go visit his favorite little bookworm.

Tristan knocked, but after a minute there was no answer. Slowly opening the door, he called out Rory's name. Still, he was met with silence. With a mischievous grin, he let himself in, let his things drop to the floor, and tiptoed towards Rory's bedroom door. He couldn't help but throw in a twirl for dramatic effect.

"I'm Bond…James Bond." Tristan whispered to himself, with a twinkle in his eye.

Being silly, he pressed his body to the doorframe and brought his joined pointer fingers to his face as if they were a gun. Once he was through the door, he quickly dropped to his knees-out of Rory's eye line. He made his way on his haunches to his sleeping beauty's bed. Once he was crouched down in front of her sleeping form, he brought his mock gun to his lips and blew.

Rory stirred when she felt a stream of air wisp across her forehead. Her blue eyes fluttered open and she screamed bloody murder! Not six inches from her face was a man peering over her. Not until Tristan was rolling on the floor, clutching his stomach in hysteria, did Rory realize who the man was.

"Tristan! What the hell do you think you're doing?! I almost died I was so freaking scared!"

Rory's exclamation just made Tristan's hooting louder.

Rory, who convinced herself she was not amused, crossed her arms over her chest with a grim expression.

"Oh come on Rory you are no fun." Tristan said through chuckles.

"I can be a lot of fun for your information, I'm just not fun with people I don't like." Rory regretted saying, as soon as she heard her harsh words out loud.

The laughter in Tristan's eyes died. "Okay then, I guess I'll be going then." Tristan said as he got up and turned to walk towards the door.

Rory hesitated, surprised by his hurt expression, "Wait Tristan, I didn't mean that. I was just mad about what you did in the library." Rory blushed, 'Why had she just said that? She didn't want to talk about that!'

Tristan held back his returning laughter, as well as other feelings, as he remembered what happened in the library.

"Well I did come over to apologize for that, but now I see just thinking about the library has gotten you all hot" Tristan teased when he noticed Rory's flushed cheeks.

"Don't flatter yourself Tristan, if I'm flushed it's because I'm sick, I was resting before I was so rudely interrupted." Rory teased, and stuck her tongue out.

It was then that Tristan noticed the multiple boxes of tissue, cough syrup, and other medical paraphernalia adorning Rory's shelves and floor. Now that he thought about it, it was weird that Rory would be sleeping at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. She didn't really seem like the type that had time for napping.

"Do you want me to get you a thermometer?" Tristan asked, now very serious.

"What? Oh, no. There's no need for that. It's just a little cold." Rory brushed him off.

"It doesn't look like just a cold. You really don't look very good."

"Oh thanks a lot, if you're really here to apologize you aren't doing a very good job-"

Rory breath caught when Tristan swept a strand of hair from her forehead, and rested his palm against her skin. The way he was looking at her so caringly, and touching her so tenderly, for a moment Rory was sure he was going to kiss her.

"Rory! You're burning up!" Tristan exclaimed as he removed his hand.

Rory shook her head. She was so stupid thinking he was going to kiss her. He was just feeling for a temperature. Wait did he say she was burning up?

"Oh, it can't be that bad" she lifted her own hand to her forehead. Rory frowned; she did feel really hot actually.

"Where is your thermometer? I'm going to take your temperature."

"It's in the bathroom, but really I don't think I have a temperature, I just need some rest…" the rest of Rory's useless pleads were unheard as Tristan's lanky frame moved across the room, and into the bathroom.

Tristan re-entered her room, thermometer in hand. "Okay now open up and put this under your tongue, and then I'll check it in five minutes."

"What you aren't going to make that into some kind of sexual innuendo?" Rory quipped; she refused to admit she might be seriously sick.

Tristan just smiled, "Come on, we need to take your temperature."

Rory cooperated by opening her mouth, and Tristan placed the thermometer under her tongue. Tristan tried to ignore the wonderful feeling it created when Rory closed her mouth, accidentally brushing her wet lips against his fingers. Since Rory couldn't talk, they sat silently waiting for the 5 minutes to pass. Tristan had sat down next to Rory on her bed, and now he was beginning to regret it. Something always overcame him when he was in a close proximity to Rory Gilmore. Rory had closed her eyes, so Tristan took the chance to really look her over. She hadn't changed too much since Chilton. Her hair was shorter, but it was still the same silky brown. Her face looked a little thinner, but her skin was still the creamy white he loved. She had a few more freckles scattered over her nose and cheeks, and Tristan wanted to kiss each and every one of them. But what made Rory so beautiful were her eyes, those deep blue eyes, richer than his own sapphire ones. Tristan loved looking into her eyes, he could get lost in them, and that's exactly what he had just done. Tristan shook himself when he realized Rory had opened her eyes, and caught him staring at her so intently. Tristan coughed trying to cover his embarrassment.

"Well, I'm sure it's been five minutes now, I'll go read the thermometer."

Tristan plucked the thermometer from Rory's lips, and quickly made his way to the bathroom. Once in the privacy of the bathroom, Tristan splashed some cold water on his face, looked into the mirror, and told himself to get it together.

Outside of the bathroom, Rory was having her own inner dialogue. She couldn't believe the way she had caught Tristan looking at her moments earlier. She had noticed Tristan staring at her before, but before she had always been able to just write it off as raging teenage-boy hormones. It was different this time; he had looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. And he had seemed so concerned about her being sick. Obviously she wasn't sick, she couldn't be sick, but still his concern was really touching. She had never really seen that side of him. Rory shook herself from her thoughts when she heard Tristan emerge from the bathroom.

"This isn't just some cold Rory! You have a temperature of 105!" Tristan came in, his voice sounding anxious.

"I do not! Let me see that. That's impossible. I have to get back to classes tomorrow. I've already missed 3 days!" Rory thought she was talking very fast, but then she couldn't figure out if she was just talking normally and everything else around her was moving very slowly. She realized that the slowly spinning things around her shouldn't be moving at all just as everything faded into black.

Was she moving? She felt like she was moving. She wasn't being jostled, or spun around, but she thought she was moving. Even through closed lids, she detected flashes of light streaking by and she deducted she was moving very fast. But she didn't feel like she was exerting any energy, she knew she couldn't exert any energy. Then she noticed a very soft humming sound she hadn't noticed before. The sound was a motor. She was in a car. Suddenly, Rory was more alert and completely panicked.

"Where am I? Where am I going?!" Rory gasped and pressed her face against the window glass trying to make out some sign. She needed some hint of where she was. She jumped and recoiled when she felt a hand reach out to stroke her hair.

"Rory, Rory you're okay. I'm taking you to the hospital. You fainted or passed out or something in your dorm. But I'm taking care of you okay." Rory recognized Tristan's reassuring voice and turned to see it was his hand that had reached out to comfort her. Rory's heart stopped racing, and Tristan could see her body relax. Rory was gazing intently at Tristan, and Tristan felt his heart flutter when she traced a soft line down his jaw with her finger.

"Thank you, Tristan." Rory whispered before returning to the engulfing blackness.

Tristan let out an uneasy sigh when he saw Rory had blacked out again. He was trying his best to remain calm despite the circumstances. He had been driving for 10 minutes and Rory kept fading in and out. When she was conscious he tried to seem as normal as possible so she wouldn't become scared. But he was a mess when she was unconscious. He felt so stupid for fooling around; he should have realized sooner that Rory was really sick. Tristan anxiously drummed his finger against the steering wheel. It was only a couple more minutes to the hospital. God, he prayed she was okay.

Tristan yelled for help as he pushed through the hospital doors with a limp Rory in his arms. She hadn't re-awoken for a few minutes. A nurse rushed over to Tristan.

"Sir, what happened?"

"I don't know. Rory said she just had a cold, but then I took her temperature and it was 105! Then she fainted." Tristan expressed, obviously very frightened.

"It's not uncommon for someone with such an extreme temperature to faint. Her temperature is obviously way too high and we need to get it down immediately. We're going to have to put her in an icy bath right away. Do you need me to find a wheelchair or can you carry her?"

Tristan looked down at the body he was holding so tightly in his arms, "No, I can carry her."

"Okay, then just follow me. I'll talk while we walk. We need to get her into the cold bath right away then a doctor can check her out after her temperature has gone down. If you're okay with it I would like you to help me because she will probably wake up and I don't want her to be afraid when she finds herself naked, in a strange place, with a strange person. It would help a lot if you could be in the room since you're her boyfriend."

Tristan was just about to correct the nurse when she interrupted him.

"Alright this is the room. Just carry her in here, make sure not to bump her head the doorframe is narrow," the nurse motioned for Tristan to lay Rory down on a bed in the room, "If you could just dab this on her head and neck, I'll fill up the bath." The nurse instructed, handing Tristan a cold towel.

"Okay." Tristan answered. He felt quite overwhelmed. Everything was happening so quickly. Another nurse had entered the room.

"Hi, my name is Jamie. I understand you're the boyfriend. I'm going to start undressing Rory now. If you could just hold her and keep doing what you're doing."

Tristan knew he should correct the nurses about his relation to Rory, but he told himself there were more important things to do right now.

Tristan lifted Rory's arms when the nurse instructed, pulling Rory's sweatshirt up and over her head. Rory's head fell onto his shoulder with the movement, and he could feel her hot breath against the skin of his neck. Tristan swallowed and moved the towel from Rory's forehead to her newly exposed shoulders. Rory was still wearing a tank top, so the nurse instructed Tristan to lift her arms again. Now, the swell of Rory's breasts were exposed, her nipples only slightly concealed through the sheer fabric of her bra.

"Make sure to cool off her neck and chest with the compress too." The first nurse directed as she poured a bag of ice into the tub.

Tristan just nodded mutely, and timidly complied. He ran the cool towel over Rory's neck, causing Rory to stir and unconsciously brush Tristan's ear with her lips. God! If she could make him feel like this asleep he didn't want to know what she could do awake. Tristan realized he shouldn't be having those kinds of thoughts. He didn't want to take advantage of Rory. So he tried very hard not to look when he rubbed the cold compress over Rory's slightly damp chest. Rory stirred again, and this time she murmured Tristan's name. Tristan couldn't believe this was happening to him.

"Okay if you could lean her forward I'll support her while you unfasten her bra." The nurse said nonchalantly.

Tristan's jaw dropped open and the nurse noticed.

"What? I'm sure it's nothing you haven't seen before." The nurse teased as she pulled Rory towards herself.

Tristan gulped as his fingers fumbled with the hook of Rory's bra. He was doing the right thing, right? Rory was seriously sick, and he was just looking out for her well-being.

"Okay, thanks Stud," the nurse winked at Tristan and leaned Rory back into his embrace, "you keep running the towel over her belly and breasts, and I'll remove her pants. Then we can lift her into the tub."

Tristan couldn't believe this! He decided he had to be completely professional about it. So he averted his eyes and picked up the cold compress again, and slowly traced a path between the curve of her breasts, over and around her belly. Tristan was staring ahead at an imaginary point on the wall, mouthing 'don't look don't look' over and over again, until he couldn't help but look when he felt the tightening of Rory's nipple through his cold towel. Tristan's mouth dropped open for a second time as he lost himself in the splendor of all that was Rory, until he realized the nurse was about to unbutton Rory's pants. All of a sudden, Tristan jumped to his feet.

"I-I can't do th-this," Tristan managed to stammer, as he fled from the room,

"and I'm not her boyfriend!" Tristan added just as he spun around the corner, leaving one nurse dumbfounded and the other one chuckling.

A/N: I made the endings of the chapters similar on purpose. I promise the next chapter will have a different kind of ending : )


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